


Sebastian's Cities

by Onemoreobsessedfangirl



Category: Kuroshitsuji | Black Butler
Genre: Demons
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-19
Updated: 2020-07-19
Packaged: 2021-03-05 06:09:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,314
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25379680
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Onemoreobsessedfangirl/pseuds/Onemoreobsessedfangirl
Summary: Why do demons need souls? What do they do with them? Well, they need them for food, obviously. But what happens the the souls after they've been extracted...? Ciel finds himself wondering these things as he dies. And the death is painful, too. Very memorable. So imagine his surprise, when he wakes up on the outskirts of a dirty little mishmosh of a town, in a world with red skies and dark, twisted trees. Wasn't he dead? Was this heaven? Or hell? ...or something worse?
Relationships: No Romantic Relationship(s)
Kudos: 3





	Sebastian's Cities

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know if I'll ever continue this, but I figured it's not getting any more love sitting unread as it is! I hope you enjoy this little unfinished drabble.

A town? I... heard... a town? Talking, walking, carrying? Was I being carried? No, I wasn't. Weren't I dead? 

I fell from the bridge... Sebastian lost an arm fighting Ash...   
Seb...ast...ian...

Yes. I was supposed to be dead. He took my soul at the small island it took so long to get to. I didn't want to die with bad breath and then Sebastian almost choked to death on my breath mint, it was slightly nauseating when he coughed it up. So why... Was I hearing life? 

Ah, I could feel something too... To my hand It felt like the finest wool, fitting of only the richest of nobels. And I could smell. A sweet, yet somehow more bitter scent flooded upon me, also making me realise I could taste the bitterness in the air. Was this an afterlife? I thought I would be damned to hell if anything... But, this seemed like   
life, to me... 

I opened my eyes, expecting nothing, or everything, but what I saw left me speechless.

I saw... The sky. It was a faded red, but it was definitely the sky. Turning my head, I saw trees, with wild twists, curves, and knots, all in dark colors I'd never seen, looking so alien to any tree I'd ever graced with my gaze, and yet so perfect they were breathtaking. Crows flew in the red sky, and cats rolled in the black grass. Both Modern and ancient looking buildings were standing tall in the light breeze, people husling and bustling about, chattering about things I couldn't hear. Where was I? This looked to nice to be hell, but it was definitely not the world I left, either.

The occupants of this strange place were dressed in what seemed like centuries of old fashion, past and present clothing blending together to create a weird Mish mosh of times. 

Just what the hell was this place? 

I sat up abruptly. So abruptly, that my head started to swim, and I barley realized when a lady and man approached me with haste; pure delight and excitement on thier faces. 

I was snapped out of it when the woman spoke in a language I'd never heard, and kneeled down to embraced me in a tight hug. It wasn't an unpleasant hug, but I wasn't expecting it and I didn't know her, so I shoved her away, yelling in surprise.

The woman looked hurt for a second, before standing up again and looking to the man. The man was tall, but not as tall as Sebastian. He had brown hair, and darker skin. He was a handsome man, and standing next to the fair skinned, freckled, and short ginger woman, they looked like the most beautiful two people in the world. Well, the most beautiful humans.

I was snapped out of my thoughts when the man, whoever he was, looked at me knowingly and said something in... Italian? 

I didn't know what he said, so I gave him a blank look, showing my confusion. Normally, I wouldn't do that to save my life, but it appeared I was no longer in my world, and so there was no use in hiding how confused I was. The man sighed, and spoke in another language I didn't understand, and then the woman in another, and then finally the woman spoke impatiently in French, though with a strange accent, "For goodness sake, child, If you understand this language, nod your head."

I sighed in relief at finally being able to communicate, frowning slightly at being called a child. I nodded my head twice. 

Both the woman and man had perked up instantly at that, and this time he spoke in French, nodding. "I'm so glad we finally found your language. That's the most tiring part about newcomers." 

Newcomers? I suppose I was 'new,' but the way he spoke it suggested that this whole thing I had done was normal. That this happened regularly.

"Excuse me, madam," I stood, brushing my coat of nothing, and marveling at the fine wool blanket I had been lying on. "Hello. My name... I suppose my name is Ciel, Earl of Phantomhive, but I don't really know where I am, nor if that matters anymore. I would prefer to speak in English, if we may." 

They watched me as I stood up, and the woman hugged me again after I had spoke. Goodness, how many times is she going to do that? I don't even know her name. After she had so generously hugged me again, she almost whined, "Yes, we can speak in English. But do you know how much easier this would've been if you'd just introduced yourself like a gentleman in the first place?" 

My eye twitched. How was I supposed to know what to do? I was very confused, thank you.

She hopped from foot to foot for a second, looking me in the eye with a slightly annoyed expression. She reminded me of Lizzy, a little.  
The man lightly glared at her, and shoved her back with one arm. He sighed. "A pleasure to meet you, Ciel Phantomhive. I am Cain Hora, and this is my wife, Mabel. I'm sorry for her impatientce, but it's been five years since our last newcomer. You sure kept him hungry long, didn't you?" 

The woman, Mabel, sent an angry glare to her husband. I, on the other hand, was more interested than I should've been to hear, 'You sure kept him hungry long, didn't you?' 

Were they talking about Sebastian?   
""I kept him hungry"? I'm sorry, but Where am I and who is this, "him?"" 

Both the man and woman looked at me in mild surprise, before their faces melted into looks of sympathy. I didn't need their pity, even if I didn't know why I was being pitied. But I did need answers, so that was a good thing. 

The man looked at me before he gestured around him, to the red sky, the alien trees, the black grass. He said, "There is no place on Earth that looks like this, and I'm sure you've gathered that much. But, I'll ask you this, what person do you think best describes this place? Can you think of anyone?"

I looked around again. The faded red sky, the black grass, the cats playing with one another, the dark twisted trees, the crows... All of it had been strangely familiar from the moment I woke up on that wool blanket, but I didn't bother to figure out why, I was to busy with, well, figuring out where 'here' was.

I then noticed a patch of perfectly groomed white roses, almost overcome by a cluster of untamed black roses, their thorns bared to the world, cruel yet beautiful; and only one thing came to mind. 

"I have a person for this place." I decided, looking up at the taller couple. "It's... My Butler. Sebastian." 

Then, it dawned on me. The cats, the crows, the black roses, everything here was reminding me of a certain demon Butler. I woke up I here right after I supposedly 'died'. I suppose I expected there to be nothing after I died, so was this my afterlife, or...

"Are we *inside* Sebastian?" 

What, a little town of souls, waiting to be eaten? Why would he even store them, maybe emergency supplies? I scoffed. How amusing. This is probably just my brain firing out some stupid fantasy before my body realizes that I'm dead.

The couple smiled, Cain frowning and coming over when Mabel scooped me up into her arms, shaking me about. "is that what you named him? Ooh what a fitting name for our demon! I wonder why he accepted your summons, you're so young! A poor child like you, damned to live with a bunch of lunatics until he gets a craving for you and you fade away!"

She was squealing loudly into my ear, and the spinning was making me nauseated. Cain was trying without any success to get her to put me down. 

It would seem, that all of the commotion had attracted a crowd of thirty or so people, who appeared suddenly. all except a few were in their late teens to early thirties. The oldest one looked to be in her fifties. It would seem I was the youngest there.

Once the crowd had gathered, Cain was able to get me out of his annoying wife's twirling clutches, and set me down to see the public. I was still horribly dizzy, from all the twirling, but I managed to stand upright anyway. It took a minute for the world to stop spinning, and Mabel humphed, putting her noes in the air when Cain told her to apologise. 

When I finally caught my balance, I looked again to the crowd, that was waiting restlessly for me to say something. They were murmuring in a language I couldn't understand, and that I only recognized because it's what Cain and Mabel were speaking when they first found me.

As I was at a loss at what to say, surrounded by an entire town of people, and not knowing what the hell was going on in the first place, let alone how to speak their language, I cast a confused look at Cain; and he smiled before standing proudly, and announcing something probably related to me in the strange language. When he had finished, everyone cheered and swarmed me, asking questions, speaking in English now, though everyone had a strange accent.

"O' it's been to long scince we've seen somon'e so youung!" 

"Really, I can't imagine..."

"give me all the details of your contrahct witeh our demon!" 

"That's a long story... AAH! Do NOT touch me with your unwashed hands!"

"Who's the queenn?? Is Victoria grrown yet?" 

"Victoria IS the queen and she's OLD!"

"Are yoh the one tha' inspired the   
rosehs?"

"What the hell are you even talking about?"

"HEY SQUIRT! OI! James I swear to my life in this devil i'll make yoh the next sacraficce if you push me again, I'm trying te' get to the new kiid!"

"Sacrifice? Oh, I've had enough now. Don't touch me, you uncultured commoners! Scrambling over each other to get to me, you're worse than dogs!"

I can say I honestly tried to answer their questions, but there were so many swarming me, and their accents were so heavy that I couldn't understand some of them. It all became rather much after the majority of them started yelling questions all a once, and I had to flee to the tree line in a moment of smothered panic, and maybe escape through the woods for a bit of peace. Honestly, those people. I wondered where I was going to sleep, the red sun was going down. I looked at the ground. The strange black grass looked soft enough. 

I'd rather sleep with whatever else lived in Sebastian than deal with the unwashed mob and their questions. 

I laid my hand on the smooth bark of one of the twisted trees, this one colored a dark purple with silvery blue leaves, that were shaped slightly like daggers. When I circled around the trunk, the leaves appeared to change to needles. I had never seen such a tree, but I suppose I was inside Sebastian so, I didn't know what to expect. 

Inside Sebastian. What a thought. 

I believed, that when I was consumed it would be something akin to eternal slumber; like Sebastian had given me to much scotch, and I fell into a dreamless, drunken, sleep, but for the rest of my life. Never had I imagined anything like that world I was in. 

I scoffed. This was probably some sort of drunken dream itself, I'm probably still alive, asleep on the dinner table, frightening May-rin into dropping the tea set, I'd have to tell Sebastian no more alcohol with dinner, He'd aught to be scolded, for letting me get so drunk...

No, I **was**dead, but it was hard to think this was anything but hell...

At that moment, I had been pinched. I flung around, eyes wide, only to see Mabel. She looked very irritated. My spirits fell just a little, to see that this was indeed my reality. But I stood up, looked at the woman who had brought me to my senses, maybe unknowingly, but she did nonetheless. I donned my proudest face; I was an Earl, after all, even if it didn't matter here. I would not be caught on the verge of a breakdown.

"You'd rather be out in the forest after dark than be with me, your best friend, and all her friends? That's really cold, little Earl of Phantomhive." 

She turned her noes up and folded her arms. I couldn't help but think that she looked childish. 

"Best friend? I'm sorry, Lady Mabel, but you nearly strangled me with hugs multiple times, that hardly makes us friends in my book.   
Also, tell your friends that if they want to see me, they'll have to be civil about it. I won't stand for being smothered by a bunch of madmen trampling over each other." 

She scoffed, but told me to come with her, and that she'd see to it that I had a bed in her house.  
As we were walking, the subject of Sebastian's previous names came up. 

"So, what did you name him?" 

"Oh, his name was George while he was mine. He didn't seem to like that one too much, it was fine though because I only lived with him for three weeks."

"George? That's...um, Alright, I suppose."

It was not alright, to name Sebastian George? 

"Only three weeks? What did you want from him that took so little time?" 

"Mostly a handsome man that was good in bed. But, officially, I told him I wanted to have one of my paintings in every Nobel's house, and at least three in the Queen's. They had to buy them from me, not just sneak them in. And I did get my man. He's very skilled."

She winked at me, and I was greenfaced and slightly regretting that question.

_____________________

When we made it back to the town, the mob had calmed substantially. They now mulled about, murmuring to each other and occasionally glancing nervously at the setting sun, seeming to gauge how long until it fell.

I noticed Mabel making the same motions, and wondered if I should be wary of nightfall.

The majority of the group of people now held themselves like proper ladies and gentlemen, quieting their chatter as I came closer. 

They formed a line and quietly asked me their questions, only nodding at my less informative answers, before checking the sun again and hurrying into their homes.

It was slightly shocking how much more civil they were than before, and I wondered what had scared them into behaving like this, because every one of them was acting like a scolded and frightened child.

I looked to the sun myself, and saw that it was low to the horizon, there was probably only a few minutes until it disappeared into the looming mountains, leaving darkness and stars in it's wake. 

Would there even be stars here? 

I supposed I'd know soon enough.

Even though I had only answered half of the strange crowds questions, the remaining people seemed to glance at the sky and nervously skitter into various houses. 

I found myself alone with Cain and Mabel.

"Come, Ciel Phantomhive. We mustn't be out after dark, let me show you to our home." 

I accepted Cain's touch as be guided me though the rapidly dimming streets. I wasn't paying much attention to my surroundings, but I noticed when we passed what looked to be a shrine of some sort, like the kind that you left offerings on for the Gods. 

Except, instead of offerings of food and gold, it seemed to be a place of death.  
The very air around it nearly screamed danger.

We made it into a small home just before the last light was gone from the sky. Mabel sighed in relief when the door closed, and she drew the curtains before collapsing onto a small under stuffed couch. 

She patted the cushion next to her, gesturing for me to sit. Cain had gone into a different room, presumably to fetch sheets for where I was to sleep.

I sat next to the excitable woman and waited for her to speak. 

When she did, I was only mildly surprised, as this day had been odd enough already, that it was only natural to expect more strange things. Though, being told I was to be sleeping on the couch was probably not the most odd thing I'd done that day. 

____________________

I sighed, feeling him settle. His confusion had disappeared almost as soon as he'd appeared there, but I could still feel his dissatisfaction along with the caution and restfulness of the others in my towns.

Then, there was a tiny prick of annoyance.

He must be annoyed with me. Serves him right, that brat.

I gazed at the full moon from my perch on some Nobel's chimney, donned in my spiked boots and full self, pitch black wings stretched behind me. 

It felt relaxing to drop the human facade, if only temporarily, and bask under the pale moon, so much more inviting than the overly bright sun. 

I didn't give a damn weather anyone saw me on my perch. Those reapers could go kill each other, for all I cared.

My relaxing moon bath still was over very soon, as I felt the pull of a contract waiting to be answered.

I supposed I'd better see what it was, at least, as I would need more souls soon, my stores dwindle so fast. 

____________________

I awoke to an obnoxious clanging, and It didn't help my mood that I was already badly rested and irritated.   
What could that horrible noise be, so early in the morning?

It was my breakfast, apparently. 

Pans are not entirely silent when Sebastian is not doing the cooking.

____________________

I strolled out of Cain's house a few minutes after breakfast, I told him I needed to walk about and meet everyone. And while that wasn't entirely untrue, I needed to investigate that strange shrine I saw before I did such a trivial thing as socialize.

People were already out and about despite the early hour, and I received many civilized greetings from people I passed. I really did appreciate their manners, even if the nervous stances suggested they were frightened into using them.

I felt rather than saw that I was nearing the shrine, for an absolute aura of dread washed over me, making me almost want to turn around and go back.

I surely wouldn't, though. I was going to get a good look at this thing even if it killed me. I wasn't afraid of death, anyway.

When I finally reached the ominous thing, I saw it in all it's splendor.   
It really was beautiful, in a cruel way.   
It consisted of some kind of loosly twisted black metal, curving in a way not unlike some of the trees that existed in this place. The metal was twisted within and around itself, creating a loose round dome reminiscent of a cage, one that seemed easy to enter, but would be impossible to escape. 

All around and under this dome, was a gold platform, engraved with an ancient looking language, one I could not recognize. The symbols covered the entirety of the surface of this platform, the letters tinged a rusty red, as if dyed by centuries old blood.

In each corner of this large gold slab, there was a single large jewel, they were the four biggest jewels I had ever seen.   
They held no color to them, not even the color of the world around them. It was slightly nauseating to look at, for some reason.

I ended up having to back down off of that place, for fear of puking. I regretted stepping so close to the Jewels, as I felt my entire self was being leeched away when I was near them.

"You couuld've asked to be the next meal, deare. Though usually it's ous prunes who go first."

I whipped my spinning head around as fast as I could, for I was startled by the sudden voice. Who I saw, was the only elderly lady in the town, or, that was in the crowd when I first appeared here.

She smiled at me when I stumbled down the steps leading to the shrine.

"I'll bett you weere just cuirious, right, childe?"

I still nodded at her, even glaring at being called a child. 

"Well, rathere than getting youurself killed, why don't I tell you all about our demon, hmm?"

She patted the ground where she sat, and I was disgusted at myself for even thinking of sitting on this dusty ground, but I sat anyway, for it seemed to matter little weather or not I had any decency in this world.

As soon as I finished shuffling uncomfortably on the black dirt ground, the old lady began her tale. When she spoke again, all traces of her unnameable accent vanished, and her voice deepened as if it were a different person speaking.

"I must tell you that this is all only what we have gathered in the amount of time we have been here. No one here knows for sure what 'here' is, but we believe that we exist in one of many towns inside our demon. 

"We know there are more towns, because we have come across unknown people, banging on an invisible wall of sorts, unable to pass the tree line. I don't know why they can't come into our town, but judging by thier health, I assume it's a quality thing.

"Think of it like storage. You stock up on food, and then you sort it as you put it away. The emergency food goes on the bottom shelf, the biscuts go on the second shelf, beans on the third, dried veggies on the fourth shelf, and desserts on the top shelf. 

"I believe this town is either the desserts or the veggies. I think this because all of us in this town were told to be particularly appetizing, and our demon spent time on all of us specifically to enhance our flavor.

"There could be less flavorful souls in other towns, and the invisible wall thing would be to keep us separate. 

"You wouldn't want a lima bean to go crawling into your apple pie, now would you? 

"Now, that matter aside, once a month or so, the sky turns the color of blood, and the air becomes hard to breath. 

"The dome you see here on this shrine swirls angrily, while the jewels suck any person near them into said dome; and the person that becomes trapped in the swirl will fade painfully over a matter of minutes, taking with them the bloody sky and toxic air.

"But, if we track the weeks using the moon, we can stop this madness before it happens; by providing a sacrifice the day before the blood sky.

"The soul who has lived here the longest will be singled out, and made to pass the information on to the next eldest, so that they may tell any newcomers, such as yourself, what may be going on. 

"Then, once last words have been said, the eldest is dolled up all nice, and pushed into the dome. While it's calm; they fade much slower, but it's far less painful, I believe, for no one screams when the dome isn't spinning. They just fade away and the blood sky never comes.

"We don't know much else about it, but occasionally, after someone has faded, the sky will show us bits of what he's seeing. We saw a little of you, child.  
It's unfortunate that we cannot hear what he's hearing, though.

"We also mustn't go out after dark, for there is danger then. Those who have survived outside at night tell tales of a horrible beast- the size of a bear, with a face that is impossible to describe with any word other than terrifying.

"Only three have survived that beast, in the time I have been here. They only lived because they witnessed someone else die before them at the hands of the monster.

"It may seem like a small amount of information, but that is all I know of this place. Even I, the one who has been here hundreds of years, cannot tell you more than that. And I will be the next to go, in four days."

The woman stared blankly at the red morning sky, and blinked twice. Her fingers were only slightly wrinkled, a sign of her slight age. She was only fifty or so in appearance, yet she seemed so ancient in the way she talked. I almost pitied her for the fact that she was to die.

I stood, brushing my borrowed pants of the strange black dirt, and looked at the woman. I helped her stand, and bowed to her once I was certain she was steady. 

"Thank you for what information you could give, madame. I will admit I am still confused, but I do appreciate your time. Farewell. I suppose I will see you in a few days."

She nodded, and the strange accent returned. 

"Yes you wiell, I'll watche for you in teh crowde. Watch yourselfe, son." 

I felt a shiver go down my spine, as the shrine gave an unnerving pulse. 

I stepped back from it, looking at the woman before turning heel and walking back twoards Cain's home.

I would watch myself. This place... Suddenly seemed much less... welcoming.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading this even though it's unfinished TwT


End file.
